Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-06
CITY AND DISTRICT.
READING MEDICAL PAPERS.
The Sections Of the Medical Congress
Begin the Work OF the Week.


ADDRESSES By PRRSIDENTs-A GOOD ATTENDANCE AT
THE MRETINGs-SoME OF THE PAPERS READ
SCENES IN TIE SECTION ROOMS, ETC.
Yesterday afternoon, as announced in the
STAR, the main work for which the congress
convened began. The congress was divided
up in squads that assembled In halls in dif-
ferent parts Of the city, the members ANIL
lat1ng each with the squad comprising the doc
tors have taken up the same speciality. Lecture
halls, churches, operating amphitheaters OF medi-
Cal colleges, and l0dge-rOOms were invaded each
by skirmishing parties from the army Of doctors.
Anatomical models, diagrams, statistical charts,
and illustrations Of various kinds were hung on
walls or blackboards, microscopes, retorts, test
tubes, and other curious looking paraphernalfa
covered desks and tables. Every meeting room
looked for the time like some college lecture hall
with gray bearded students The meetings OF the
sections were all well attended. Some OF them
where the subjects were more inviting than Others
were attended by laymen and the meetings OF
several sections were graced by the presence OF
ladies.
PATHOLOGICAL DEBATES.
Dr.. AlonZo 3. Palmers section, devoted to pathol-
ogy, began its sessions in one of the rooms OF the
Georgetown Medical College building with good
attendance. In connection with this section a
In another room OF the same building, The exh1-
Dltlon, under the charge OF DR.. S.haener, is open
each day from to p. M: DR.. Palmer opened the
proceedings yesterday with an address, In which
ne traced the progress or pathology. Medicine,
which was formerly denied place among the
true sciences must look to the advance OF pathol-
Ogy 20 define its position. DR.. Palmer'S address
was discussed by DIR. Tumby, OF New York, and
Or f. b; Allen. To-day the papers to be read are
Experimental Investigation OF the Cause OF
Tetanus," and one by DR.. Henry Sewall on 1.-THE
Poison OF the Rattlesnake." Prof. Thos. Taylor, OF
the Agricultural Bureau, gives to-day talk on the
v.
Prof. Taylor showed yesterday number Of Spect-
mems, showing the results OF microscopical ex-
am1nat1OnS OF fats under different conditions. A
remarkable thing was the difference in the human
fats OF persons who had been afected with various
diseases. The fat OF the consumptive, for In
stance showed an entire absence Of solid fat,
While other strange conditions were noted about
the fat OF insane persons and the fat o. man
who had drank himself to death.
DR.. D. E. Salmon will present paper to-day on
Experiments on the Production OF Immunity by
the Hypodermic Injection Of Sterilized Cultures -
OPHTHALAOLoGY.
The section on OphthalmOlogy, DR.. Chisholm pre-
siding, began It's meetings at the Cornwe building
with full attendance, many ladies being present.
their Relations to Occipital Disease, Dr. A. Mooren,
in the Retinai Vessels DR.. Ole Bull OF Chrlstiana,
Diseases, DR.. Leartus Conner, Detroit, Mich. The
papers were discussed by Or. Abadie, OF Paris;
Dr. Holtz, OF Chicago; Or. Calhoun, OF Atlanta,
T. II.
THERAPEUTICS.
Sections 6, 8, ana IL, on therapeutics, physiol-
ogy, and laryngology, respectively, met in the
Columbian University building at o'clock pm.
yesterday. The meeting of the section on thera-
peutics was presided over by DR.. Trail Green, of
a EaStSn, Pa, with Dr. Frank woodbury. Of Phils;
Drtef address, which dealt chiefly with the hts
tory Of the development OF the study Of thera-
s a 1hs ma ahs ~ especially ea
Philadelphia, who delivered the first lecture
upon this subject in this country. The in
seaehuss q tas MSs
Wce-President Phillips OF London. expressed his
deep satisfaction with the address, and ac-
English therapeutics have been under to Amert-
can workers In this Redwood, Dunglison, Stttts
and others. He referred also to present methods
OF exact observation, and instanced his recent re-
searches upon the influence OF certain remedies
upon the circulation and secretion OF the Kidneys
including caffeine d1gitation, and strophanthim,
made with The aid Oh Roy's onkometer. DR.. j. NJ.
Carter OF Waukegan, Ills, read brief synopsis Of
the Medical Botany OF the United States
This paper was discussed at some length by Drs.
+. Z. stewart, OF Wilmington, DEL; j. g. s. Cog
HILL OF Ventnor, England; Vice president Phillips
and VIM. Murrell or London, and Frank Wood
bury, of Philadelphia.
DR.. Stewart read an interesting paper entitled
"a Plan TO Promote Progress In the Science Of
Drugs" His address was mainly denunciation
OF quacks and quack medicines. He said that the
swallowed up by this business and the practice Of
medicine seriously injured by 1t. He said that he
wished 1t TO be understood from the start that he
opposed the Introduction OF ''new therapeutic
agents" by anybody, whether physicians, pharma-
ciSts, manufacturing chemists, wholesale druggists
or patent medicine houses. except It be through
merits before such powerful agents, for good or
evil, are thrown to the indiScrfmiuate use OF an
innocent public: The manufacture and sale OF
medicines Is being diverted by the drug trade
generally from the legitimate channel, which
consists OF the physicians prescription COM
pounded by the educated apothecary, and directed
into the hands OF uneducated merchants ignorant
alike OF disease or its treatment He said that the
pharmaceutical profession, who suffer much
through the competition OF mercantile concerns,
are, to no small degree, usurping the prerogative
OF the medical procession, and many pharmacists
prescribe over the counter, and even 60 out OF
their shops TO visit patients. Though poor thera-
ploytng skilled labor, are turning out elegant
goods.
PHYSIOLOGY.
The section on physiology was presided over by
President ]. Fl. Calender, with Dr.. Randolph
Burksdale, Of Virginia, as secretary In his open
ing address Dr.. Calender said that it Afforded
him great pleasure, In the name OF the workers In
the feld Of medical science in this country, to
tender an earnest and cordial greeting TO those
present who had come from other countries to
contribute to the Information expected to be I'm
parted In these proceedings and to AFFORD interest
In its discussions and to participate in this great
convention OF medical men representing many
peoples and al! departments OF our extensive
science He said: 'srhis congress has met to con.
slider the present state OF the science OF medicine
TO promote its advancement as pure science and
its perfection as practical art, and TO consult
OF Its interests as one OF the highest pro.
LESSONS which can enlist the thought and energies
OF man. Medicine, To speak accurately Is q mixed
science and art for the cure and relief OF all
physical disorders and innrmities. AS science II
Is an aggregation OF different species OF knowl.
edge or separate sciences and that OF physiology
or the conditions and laws OF life and OrRaniZa.
ton In state or health and OF the functions vi
tissues and organs is one OF the cardinal and In.
dispensable components OF medical science
The great events In physiological discovery,
continued DR.. Calender 1have specifically marked
great epOchS OF advancement In scientific theories
and modes OF cures. We have advanced to that
for the principle OF fife, but are wisely content
and more proftably employed In investigating the
conditions and phenomena Of living beings.
paper on "The Basal Ganglia or the Brain as
Psychic centers," by DR.. Daniel Clark, OF Toronto
list. That the radical difference found in the
circulation Of the blood both asto mode OF Aistri.
button and quantity suggests the reasonable In.
ference Of greater functional activity existing In
I'd. The want OF uniformity ia psycbfcaA and
functional results when defiktttAad similar pof
lions OF the cOrtical substance Ne stimulated I'm.
paired or destroyed; hence exists no positive
proof that this Is the secret OF so-called trul
motor centers.
Sd. It would be consistent with pathological,
and experimental facts TO consider that Lncss
motor and psychical centers are located In tins
base and central ganglia, yet II sympathetic re-
controlled by the cOrtiCal substance.
4th- The l0calization OF function in the brain
surface ignores the fact that there Is o want O
distinctive psychological features In the severn
0o The naner was discussed hass,.u srvo -, \.